The United States and China will fight a war within the next 10 years over islands in the South China Sea, and “there’s no doubt about that”. At the same time, the US will be in another “major” war in the Middle East.

Those are the views – nine months ago at least – of one of the most powerful men in Donald Trump’s administration, Steve Bannon, the former head of far-right news website Breitbart who is now chief strategist at the White House.

In the first weeks of Trump’s presidency, Bannon has emerged as a central figure. He was appointed to the “principals committee” of the National Security Council in a highly unusual move and was influential in the recent travel ban on citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries, overruling Department of Homeland Security officials who felt the order did not apply to green card holders.

While many in Trump’s team are outspoken critics of China, in radio shows Bannon hosted for Breitbart he makes plain the two largest threats to America: China and Islam.

“We’re going to war in the South China Sea in five to 10 years,” he said in March 2016. “There’s no doubt about that. They’re taking their sandbars and making basically stationary aircraft carriers and putting missiles on those. They come here to the United States in front of our face – and you understand how important face is – and say it’s an ancient territorial sea.”

China says nearly the entire South China Sea falls within its territory, with half a dozen other countries maintaining partially overlapping claims. China has built a series of artificial islands on reefs and rocks in attempt to bolster its position, complete with military-length airstrips and anti-aircraft weapons.

Bannon’s sentiments and his position in Trump’s inner circle add to fears of a military confrontation with China, after secretary of state Rex Tillerson said that the US would deny China access to the seven artificial islands. Experts warned any blockade would lead to war.

Bannon is clearly wary of China’s growing clout in Asia and beyond, framing the relationship as entirely adversarial, predicting a global culture clash in the coming years.

“You have an expansionist Islam and you have an expansionist China. Right? They are motivated. They’re arrogant. They’re on the march. And they think the Judeo-Christian west is on the retreat,” Bannon said during a February 2016 radio show.

On the day Trump was inaugurated, China’s military warned that war between the two countries was a real possibility.

“A ‘war within the president’s term’ or ‘war breaking out tonight’ are not just slogans, they are becoming a practical reality,” an official wrote on the website of the People’s Liberation Army.

Aside from conflict between armies, Bannon repeatedly focused on his perception that Christianity around the world is under threat.

Steve Bannon's role in inner circle of Trump team raises fears of security crisis

In one radio show, used to promote an article incorrectly claiming that a mosque had been built at the North Pole, Bannon focused heavily on China’s oppression of Christian groups.

“The one thing the Chinese fear more than America … they fear Christianity more than anything,” he said.

But China is not the only hotspot Bannon sees, and forecasts another ground war for American troops in the Middle East.

“Some of these situations may get a little unpleasant,” Bannon said in November 2015. “But you know what, we’re in a war. We’re clearly going into, I think, a major shooting war in the Middle East again.”

He also branded Islam as “the most radical” religion in the world, and moved swiftly since entering the White House to enact policies hostile to Muslims. Some have called Trump’s central doctrine a “war on Islam”.

It seems to the Trump adminstration is asking for people to turn against the US.

Humans are such funny creatures. We are selfish about selflessness, yet we can love something so much that we can hate something.

The AP reports on President Trump's recent phone call with Mexican president Enrique Pena Nieto:

"You have a bunch of bad hombres down there," Trump told Pena Nieto, according to the excerpt given to AP. "You aren't doing enough to stop them. I think your military is scared. Our military isn't, so I just might send them down to take care of it."

Oh please. We're supposed to believe that Trump threatened to invade Mexico? We all know that Trump is a bit of a hothead, but even he wouldn't lose his shit like this with the leader of a close ally during a—

Wait. What's this about Trump's call on Saturday with the Australian prime minister?

President Trump blasted Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull over a refu­gee agreement and boasted about the magnitude of his electoral college win, according to senior U.S. officials briefed on the Saturday exchange. Then, 25 minutes into what was expected to be an hour-long call, Trump abruptly ended it.

....“This is the worst deal ever,” Trump fumed as Turnbull attempted to confirm that the United States would honor its pledge to take in 1,250 refugees from an Australian detention center. Trump, who one day earlier had signed an executive order temporarily barring the admissions of refugees, complained that he was “going to get killed” politically and accused Australia of seeking to export the “next Boston bombers.”

U.S. officials said that Trump has behaved similarly in conversations with leaders of other countries, including Mexico.

Trump hung up on the prime minister of Australia, one of our oldest, closest, and most reliable allies? I don't have the words. In any case, that's the leaders of Mexico, Australia, and "other countries" that Trump has apparently insulted on phone calls. I wonder what the body count really is. How many foreign leaders has Trump yelled at so far?

How about Vladimir Putin? Apparently not. In fact, Republicans in Congress are rushing to do a big favor for oil companies that do business in Russia. It all has to do with Section 1504 of the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill, which requires drilling and mining companies to disclose any payments they make to foreign governments. Back in 2010, ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson—now our Secretary of State—opposed this provision. Here is Michael Grunwald in Politico:

Tillerson argued that forcing U.S. oil firms to reveal corporate secrets—such as paying foreign governments—would put them at a competitive disadvantage. He also explained that the provision would make it especially difficult for Exxon to do business in Russia, where, as he did not need to explain, the government takes a rather active interest in the oil industry.

Today, seven years later, Republicans confirmed Tillerson as President Trump’s Secretary of State, despite allegations that he’s too cozy with Russia. At the same time, the GOP is preparing to try to kill the disclosure rule created under Section 1504, despite warnings from international aid groups that the move would provide a wink-and-nod blessing to hidden corporate payments to petro-thugs.

This is likely to be the very first bill that Congress sends to Trump's desk: a big wet kiss to oil companies and Vladimir Putin. It's nice to know that we have our priorities straight.

And here we are America.
A CryBaby President who insults anyone he wants... Anyone...

So if it were couched in terms Trump might understand, "Bannon's appointment (along with everything else done in your first week) has sent a shock through the market and 'USA Corp' stock price is nosediving."

Except that's what Trump does, before carving up the corpse for him and his rich friends, then writing it off as a loss on his taxes*.

*My guess, since he still hasn't extended the courtesy of releasing his taxes.

Rule #1: Believe the autocrat. He means what he says.
Rule #2: Do not be taken in by small signs of normality.
Rule #3: Institutions will not save you.
Rule #4: Be outraged.
Rule #5: Don’t make compromises.

North Korea is pretty reliable in the insults department. I'd be surprised if they haven't already insulted Trump on state media. Insulting Trump on the phone is a different matter. Just about everyone else is too professional for that sort of thing.

bilateralrope wrote:Which country are you expecting to be the first to insult him back ?

Merkel was pretty much treating him like a child.

“The … refugee convention requires the international community to take in war refugees on humanitarian grounds. All signatory states are obligated to do. The German government explained this policy in their call yesterday.”

Whoever says "education does not matter" can try ignorance
------------
A decision must be made in the life of every nation at the very moment when the grasp of the enemy is at its throat. Then, it seems that the only way to survive is to use the means of the enemy, to rest survival upon what is expedient, to look the other way. Well, the answer to that is 'survival as what'? A country isn't a rock. It's not an extension of one's self. It's what it stands for. It's what it stands for when standing for something is the most difficult! - Chief Judge Haywood
------------My LPs

bilateralrope wrote:Which country are you expecting to be the first to insult him back ?

Merkel was pretty much treating him like a child.

“The … refugee convention requires the international community to take in war refugees on humanitarian grounds. All signatory states are obligated to do. The German government explained this policy in their call yesterday.”

A minute's thought suggests that the very idea of this is stupid. A more detailed examination raises the possibility that it might be an answer to the question "how could the Germans win the war after the US gets involved?" - Captain Seafort, in a thread proposing a 1942 'D-Day' in Quiberon Bay

Raj Ahten wrote:North Korea is pretty reliable in the insults department. I'd be surprised if they haven't already insulted Trump on state media. Insulting Trump on the phone is a different matter. Just about everyone else is too professional for that sort of thing.

North Korea has actually been quite silent on Trump so far, guess they are a bit afraid. China has been holding her tongue as well except when it comes to the South China Sea situations.

Whoever says "education does not matter" can try ignorance
------------
A decision must be made in the life of every nation at the very moment when the grasp of the enemy is at its throat. Then, it seems that the only way to survive is to use the means of the enemy, to rest survival upon what is expedient, to look the other way. Well, the answer to that is 'survival as what'? A country isn't a rock. It's not an extension of one's self. It's what it stands for. It's what it stands for when standing for something is the most difficult! - Chief Judge Haywood
------------My LPs

As far as I'm concerned, the part where he apparently threatened to invade Mexico is the more troubling of the "Trump being a jackass to other world leaders" stories to come out within the past day or so.

While I won't say it crosses the line yet, if they're serious about this, I would say that we are getting very near the point where the armed forces would be justified in couping Trump, for the sake of the survival of the nation.

Of course, it might all just be bluster. Dangerous, irresponsible, utterly morally bankrupt bluster for political propaganda purposes.

I think we're getting a good look at what its like when someone tries to run a major power's foreign policy Kim Jong Un-style.

"I know its easy to be defeatist here because nothing has seemingly reigned Trump in so far. But I will say this: every asshole succeeds until finally, they don't. Again, 18 months before he resigned, Nixon had a sky-high approval rating of 67%. Harvey Weinstein was winning Oscars until one day, he definitely wasn't."-John Oliver

"The greatest enemy of a good plan is the dream of a perfect plan."-General Von Clauswitz, describing my opinion of Bernie or Busters and third partiers in a nutshell.

Thinking about it... announcing "We are definitely going to fight a war with China in such and such time"... doesn't that give China a huge incentive to launch a first strike?

"I know its easy to be defeatist here because nothing has seemingly reigned Trump in so far. But I will say this: every asshole succeeds until finally, they don't. Again, 18 months before he resigned, Nixon had a sky-high approval rating of 67%. Harvey Weinstein was winning Oscars until one day, he definitely wasn't."-John Oliver

"The greatest enemy of a good plan is the dream of a perfect plan."-General Von Clauswitz, describing my opinion of Bernie or Busters and third partiers in a nutshell.

You're not supposed to SAY these things out loud as a freaking staff member of the White House. For fucks sake.

"DO YOU WORSHIP HOMOSEXUALS?" - Curtis Saxton (source)shroom is a lovely boy and i wont hear a bad word against him - LUSY-CHAN!Shit! Man, I didn't think of that! It took Shroom to properly interpret the screams of dying people - PeZookShroom, I read out the stuff you write about us. You are an endless supply of morale down here. :p - an OWS street medicPink Sugar Heart Attack!

Donald Trump spoke of sending troops south of the border to take care of “bad hombres” while on the telephone with his Mexican counterpart, according to a transcript cited by the Associated Press.

Trump was said to have made either an offer – or a veiled threat – of the US military weighing in to fight Mexican gangs in a conversation on Friday that Enrique Peña Nieto’s office later described as “constructive”.

According to reports that were apparently based on a leaked White House document, the US president told Peña Nieto: “You have a bunch of bad hombres down there. You aren’t doing enough to stop them. I think your military is scared. Our military isn’t, so I just might send them down to take care of it.”

The overall tone of the conversation is unknown and who the “hombres” are is unclear but in a separate report Mexican journalist Dolía Estévez said it referred to drug cartels.

It portends a further souring of relations between Mexico and Trump, who partly built his election campaign on vilifying Mexicans and promising to make the southern neighbour pay for a border wall.

Peña Nieto called off a trip to Washington last week after Trump tweeted that it was not worth coming unless paying for the wall was on the agenda. Trump and Peña Nieto ended up speaking on 27 January by telephone and reportedly agreed not to speak publicly about who would pay. It was a conversation Peña Nieto’s office called “constructive and productive around the bilateral relationship”.

Mexico’s foreign ministry denied any threats were issued by Trump in his talks with Peña Nieto, saying in a statement on Tuesday evening that the information in Estévez’s report “didn’t correspond with reality”. It reiterated that the tone of the telephone conversations between Peña Nieto and Trump “was constructive”.

Some reporting suggested the transcript came from an internal White House summary of the phone call and was not a verbatim account – though the “bad hombres” reference reprises comments Trump made during the 2016 election campaign about evicting Mexican criminals from the US.

Trump during the election campaign vows to rid US of ‘bad hombres’ – video
CNN had its own version of the conversation: “You have some pretty tough hombres in Mexico that you may need help with. We are willing to help with that big-league, but they have to be knocked out and you have not done a good job knocking them out.”

Estévez, who is based in Washington, reported earlier on Tuesday that Trump had “humiliated” Peña Nieto and threatened to slap import duties on Mexican-made goods to pay for a border wall.

Sources told Washington-based Estévez that Trump said: “I don’t need the Mexicans. I don’t need Mexico. I’m going to build a wall and you’re going to pay for it, like it or not.”

Estévez wrote in the Mexican publication Proyecto Puente: “Trump signalled that Mexican soldiers are not doing a good job in combating narcotics trafficking and therefore suggested that he would have to send US troops to assume the duties of defeating the cartels.”

The Mexican military has battled drug cartels for a decade in a crackdown that has cost an estimated 200,000 lives and left another 25,000 people missing.

Mexico has captured dozens of cartel kingpins and increasingly extradited them to the United States – most recently two-time escapee Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, who was sent north on the eve of Trump’s inauguration.

Talk of troops violating Mexican sovereignty stirs up strong emotions in Mexico, which lost half its territory – including California, Arizona and Nevada – in the Mexican-American war of the 1840s.

Remember all those people (some of them on this board) saying how Trump wouldn't be that bad, that he wasn't really a fascist, and (the biggest laugh of all) that he'd be less militaristic/interventionist than Clinton?

Last edited by SCRawl on 2017-02-02 10:00pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason:Trimmed the extra crap from the article - SCRawl

"I know its easy to be defeatist here because nothing has seemingly reigned Trump in so far. But I will say this: every asshole succeeds until finally, they don't. Again, 18 months before he resigned, Nixon had a sky-high approval rating of 67%. Harvey Weinstein was winning Oscars until one day, he definitely wasn't."-John Oliver

"The greatest enemy of a good plan is the dream of a perfect plan."-General Von Clauswitz, describing my opinion of Bernie or Busters and third partiers in a nutshell.

Still, the fact that he said this, and that Trump not only employed him afterward, but put him on the National Security Council, speaks fucking volumes.

"I know its easy to be defeatist here because nothing has seemingly reigned Trump in so far. But I will say this: every asshole succeeds until finally, they don't. Again, 18 months before he resigned, Nixon had a sky-high approval rating of 67%. Harvey Weinstein was winning Oscars until one day, he definitely wasn't."-John Oliver

"The greatest enemy of a good plan is the dream of a perfect plan."-General Von Clauswitz, describing my opinion of Bernie or Busters and third partiers in a nutshell.

Haven't for a while, actually, but sure, brush off the fact that Trump's head lackey on the National Security Council said we'll fight China in five to ten years with an ad hominem. We all know you're an apologist for Trumpolini anyway.

"I know its easy to be defeatist here because nothing has seemingly reigned Trump in so far. But I will say this: every asshole succeeds until finally, they don't. Again, 18 months before he resigned, Nixon had a sky-high approval rating of 67%. Harvey Weinstein was winning Oscars until one day, he definitely wasn't."-John Oliver

"The greatest enemy of a good plan is the dream of a perfect plan."-General Von Clauswitz, describing my opinion of Bernie or Busters and third partiers in a nutshell.

Might be needed, though it would also make it easier for people to tune out each individual story.

This is particularly outrageous even by Trump's standards, though.

You know, its hard to tell when Trump is serious and when he's blustering, but I honestly think that if he did invade Mexico, it'd probably push California into armed revolt/secession.

"I know its easy to be defeatist here because nothing has seemingly reigned Trump in so far. But I will say this: every asshole succeeds until finally, they don't. Again, 18 months before he resigned, Nixon had a sky-high approval rating of 67%. Harvey Weinstein was winning Oscars until one day, he definitely wasn't."-John Oliver

"The greatest enemy of a good plan is the dream of a perfect plan."-General Von Clauswitz, describing my opinion of Bernie or Busters and third partiers in a nutshell.